Pool-table attachment.



E. I. STUMP & E. MILLER.

POOL TABLE ATTACHMENT.

APPLICATION FILED APR.14. 1916.

1 ,201 ,382 Patented Oct. 17, 1916,

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EARL J. STUMP AND EDWARD MILLER, OF PUEBLO, COLORADO.

POOL-TABLE ATTACHMENT.

Application filed April 14, 1916. Serial No. 91,228.

have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Pool-Table Attachments, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

Our invention is an improvement in pool table attachments and its primary object is the provision of a simple, practical ball rack adapted for attachment to one end of a pool table, thus saving much time and useless expenditure of energy on the part of the players in carrying balls to a wall rack and on the part of the attendant in returning the balls to the table for another game, and which rack will involve so few parts and so little structure as not to be more expensive than the wall racks now provided for this purpose.

A further object of our invention is to combine this rack with a partial gathering device, the latter being applicable to any or dinary table without altering the same other than the cutting of openings in two of the pockets. This gathering device collects the balls from the two pockets on the spot end of the table only; but, since by far the larger percentage of the shots are made into these pockets alone, the device will be found to thus materially aid in the game and shorten the time of play. If a ball is put in one of the other four pockets the player will remove it and drop it into one of the end pockets mentioned-or place it in his rack if he has finished his turn of shooting.

We are aware that there have been pro posed various devices for meeting certain of the above objects but these devices involve either a specially built table or substantial alterations in existing tables, are complicated and expensive and, when designed to maintain the balls made by individual players separate, provide for only two players.

The construction and operation of our device will be readily seen by a reference to the accompanying single sheet of drawings in which Figure 1 is an end view of a pool table provided with our invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view, on a slightly enlarged scale, of one of the ball racks; Fig. 3 is a vertlcal section on a still larger scale through one Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 17, 1916.

of the ball racks adjacent its supporting is secured by means of brackets 2 having horizontal arms 3 for supporting the centrally sloping racks 4, of which racks the upper constitutes the ball run from the end pockets l4, the latter having openings 18 therein opposite the ball run. Each of the racks 4 (of which as many desired may be provided, three being chosen for purposes of illustration) has a central, rectangular opening therethrough and these openings are alined and are adapted to receive the hollow plunger 5 in such manner that it may be reciprocated therein by lifting on the grip 6. Resilient buffers 7 are located in position to quietly check the balls running down in the racks and stops 8 and 9, attached after the plunger is in place, limit its vertical travel. The stop 8 by engaging the top rack serves to retain the plunger in position where the balls 10 can not fall therethrough; and when the plunger is lifted by the handle 6 the stop 9 engages the bottom rack to position the holes 11 opposite their respective racks and thus permit the balls to fall through the plunger into the basket below in which they are easily lifted to the table for playing another game.

Operation: At the start ofa game the plunger 5 is in lowered position as shown in Fig. 1, it being returned to this position by gravity as soon as the handle 6 is released. Balls played or dropped into either of the end pockets 14 will pass through theopenings 13 and roll down the upper rack or run 4: until they engage the closed sides of the plunger 5 where they will be held until the player has finished when he will remove them to the side of one of the lower racks assigned to him, where they are kept separate from those of the remaining players. After the game is finished the attendant raises the plunger and the balls fall through its open bottom into the basket below by which they may be conveniently transferred to the table by a single operation. The device as shown provides separate racks for four players but it will be obvious that as many additional racks as desired may be provided, each furnishing rack room for two players. Or, if desired, the upper ball run rack may be utilized for two players by providing separating devices, such as a rubber ball or a block of wood, for parting the racked balls from those made by a subsequent player.

The racks are curved inwardly at the ends as shown to obviate contact with the players passing around the table and the lower racks are shortened as shown that they may not be in the way of a player shooting from the corner of the table.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device ofthe class described, a plurality of centrally sloping racks having al-inedopenings therein at their lowest points, and a hollow plunger vertically reciprocable in said openings, said plunger closing said racks in normal position but having openings adapted to register with said racks and discharge their contents in another position.

2. In a device of the class described, a plurality of centrally sloping racks having alined openings therein at their lowest points, a hollow plunger reciprocable in said openings, said plunger closing said racks in normal position but having a series of pairs of" oppositely disposed openings in its sides adapted to register with said racks in an other position thereof, and a pair of stops for limiting the travel of said plunger between the before mentioned positions.

3. In a device of the class described, a plurality of centrally sloping racks having alined openings therein at their lowest points, a vertically disposed hollow plunplunger for limiting its travel between the beforementioned positions thereof, I and means for reciprocating said plunger.

4. In a device of the class described, in

combination, a pool table having pockets at its corners, a vertical series of centrally sloping racks having alined openings at their lowest points mounted on an end of said table, the outer ends of the upper of said racks being in communication with the adjacent corner pockets, and a hollow plunger vertically reciprocable in the openings in said racks, said lunger closing said racks in normal position but having openings adapted to register with said racks and discharge their contents in another position.

5. In a, device of the class described, a pool table having pockets at its corners, a vertical series of not less than three racks mounted on an end of the table, the outer ends of the upper of said racks being in communication with the adjacent corner pockets, and means for simultaneously discharging the contents of all said racks.

In testimony whereof, we have hereunto affixed our signatures in the presence of two 7 witnesses.

" EARL J. STUMP.

EDWARD MILLER. Witnesses:

LIONEL Gr, SAMUEL,

GEORGE A. PArrAs.

Qopies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). (2. 

